Return to work after percutaneous coronary intervention: the predictive value of self-reported health compared to...

Coronary heart disease is prevalent in the working-age population. Traditional outcome measures like mortality and readmission are of importance to evaluate the prognosis but are hardly sufficient. Ability to work is an additional outcome of clinical and societal significance. We describe trends and predictors of Return To Work (RTW) after PCI and describe a possible benefit using patient-reported measures in risk stratification of RTW.

A total of 1585 patients aged less than 67 years treated with PCI in 2006-2008 at the Aarhus University Hospital were enrolled. Clinical information was provided through the West Denmark Heart Registry, and 4 weeks after PCI we mailed a questionnaire regarding self-rated health (response rate 83.5%). RTW was defined at weekly basis using extensive register data on transfer payments. Predictors of RTW were analysed as time to event. ROC curves constructed by logistic regression of predicting variables were evaluated by the c-statistic.

Four weeks before PCI 50% of the patients were working; the corresponding figures were 25% after 4 weeks, 36% after 12 weeks, and 43% after one year. The patients' self-rated health one month after the procedure was a significant better predictor of RTW compared to other variables including LVEF, both at short (12 weeks) and long (one year) term.

The patient's self-rated health four weeks after the procedure was a stronger predictor than left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), and consequently useful when patients seek medical advice with respect to RWT.